Seoul Art Collective, a group of foreign artists living in Korea, is holding a new exhibition this month. The ``Ism'' (pronounced ``iz-uhm'') exhibition opens Nov. 28 and runs through Dec. 13 at Siuter Art Space, Gugi-dong.

Zach Eichelberger, an artist who also curated the exhibition, said the show gathers works of artists with vastly different styles and subjects and celebrates their diversity.

``The title `Ism' came from looking at everyone's work and seeing that we're connected mainly by the art that has come before us. `Ism' is a suffix attached to most of the art movements in history. Most of the artists draw a certain kind of inspiration from the elements of art history. I think in those terms, we don't exactly know where we are right now in the present state of art. So it kind of celebrates that dystopia and lack of coherence today. It's like here we are, we're moving on and we're going to ride the wave,'' Eichelberger told The Korea Times.

``We have photographs and digitally manipulated images by McLay, drawings by Topple, acrylic paintings by Kim, photographs by Alexander, and quite a lot (of different works) in between,'' he said.

“Violent Ghost” by Zach Eichelberger at the “Ism” exhibition, which will run from Nov. 28 to Dec. 13 at Siuter Art Space, Gugi-dong, Seoul.

/ Courtesy of Seoul Art Collective

The Seoul Art Collective's aims are to allow the exchange of ideas among artists, and to organize exhibitions of members' works. Eichelberger took over the Seoul Art Collective in August after some members left Korea to move back to their home countries. One of the challenges of the collective is to keep it going, since most foreigners are living in Korea temporarily.

``One of my goals for next year is to kind of regroup and sort things out organizationally. I'd like to establish a core group of the Seoul Art Collective and have people kind of work independently and with each other to promote shows and do various projects that will incorporate some meetings and I hope to do a little more social activities like visiting studios and galleries,'' Eichelberger said.

At the same time, Eichelberger is holding a solo show ``Fiction,'' featuring paintings and collage prints, at Myungdong Gallery, from Saturday through Nov. 29.

``I'm trying to broaden and expand collage prints. I do them small-scale, then I photograph and print them. A lot of the exhibition has to do with something that is not real. These are removed from authentic experience. The actual artwork is the printed version of the original. In that way, I find something thematically interesting. The show is called `Fiction' and a lot of it came from the idea that our perception of reality is from secondary information,'' the American artist said.

Originally from Dallas, Texas, Eichelberger has been living in Korea for the last six years. His art is characterized by surrealistic elements as seen in collage prints such as ``Violent Ghost'' and paintings like ``Do You Feel Like a Movie?'

To go to Eichelberger's exhibition at Myungdong Gallery, get out of Myeongdong Station, Line 4, Exit 9, walk straight and turn right at the first corner. Then turn right, and the gallery is on the fourth floor of the second building on your left. Admission is free at both exhibitions.

To go to the ``Ism'' exhibition at Siuter Art Space, get off at Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3, Exit 3, and walk to the bus stop. Take bus 7022 or 0212, and get off at Gugi-dong bus stop. Walk 20 meters, and the gallery is on your right.